Hamburg v Fulham - as it happened

Preamble: Nihilists might dismiss this as a mediocre bout between the seventh-best team in the Bundesliga and the side currently ranked tenth in England, but it is much bigger than that. For Hamburg it is a chance for catharsis – in last year's semi-final they lost painfully to Werder Bremen. And for Fulham it is a further exploration into where no Cottager has ever gone. Those stakes should give extra stimulus to a pair of teams who generally succeed at being both efficient and exciting – in this tournament at least; for in their domestic league Hamburg have been less than tasty, which is why manager Bruno Labbadia faces the sack. The favourite to replace him is none other than the last Englishman to reach the final of this competition, well, the precursor thereof. Who, apart from fans of Liverpool, Hamburg and Atletico Madrid doesn't want Hodgson to follow in Steve McLaren's footsteps? Say, are Hodgson and Hamburg's last manager, Martin Jol (now at Ajax), the most likable gaffers in European football? And another question: Uefa's press kit notes intriguingly that "these two sides have never met in Europe" … which makes me wonder: have Hamburg and Fulham previously played in America? Borneo? Madagascar? Teams: Hamburg: Rost, Demel, Boateng, Mathijsen, Aogo, Pitroipa, Jarolim, Ze Roberto, Trochowski, Guerrero, van Nistelrooy. Subs: Hesl, Rozehnal, Petric, Tesche, Berg, Rincon, Torun. Fulham: Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Duff, Etuhu, Murphy, Davies, Zamora, Gera. Subs: Zuberbuhler, Kelly, Nevland, Dempsey, Smalling, Greening, Dikgacoi. Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark) 7:51pm: "You asked whether anyone other than Liverpool, Atletico or Hamburg fans would not not like to see Hodgson win the Europa League," recaps David Campbell Watson. "I answer: yes, all the Chelsea fans I know." Guess the fact that Fulham have lasted longer in Europe than Chelsea really rankles. 7:53pm: "The referee tonight is Claus Bo Larsen, I remember him because he officiated us against Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final last season," drones Peter Corway. "Is it a damning indictment to the standing of refereeing that we actually remember European referees by name nowadays?" Possibly. But it could also be a damning indictment of your life. Just sayin' ... 7:56pm: "Hello Paul, I hope all is good," begins idealistic Lawrence Fernandez. "I know you've seen plenty of Fulham games and know what we are all about. After seeing Hamburg play great against Liege and our long journey to Germany, part of me is conceding defeat but with the secret hope the players have far more about them than that. A big fat hoorah to our fans who's journey to Germany must have seemed more arduous than those to Shaktar and Aktar Perm. I'm fearing a defeat to nil obvioulsy hoping for a win but will be delighted with a score draw." You know, I actually thought Standard Liege would oust Hamburg because they're a dinky side - but you're right, Hamburg rolled them over. They are favourites, for sure. 8pm: The ever-intrepid Jamie Jackson is in Hamburg and is getting quite excited by the sounds of it: "There's a live trash-pop combo playing from a crane to the home end here!" he gushes. Das ist ganz hyper! Hyper! 8:02pm: Ah, this is splendid: the teams troop out onto the pitch with kaleidoscopic colours in the crowd providing a picturesque backdrop and tickertape cascading down from the stands. The din is thunderous. A proper European semi-final atmosphere. 1 min: We have kick-off. 1 min: Danger! Chris Baird fluffed a clearance and Van Nistelrooy pounced on it quickly and bounded into the box. Hughes scampered back to make a tackle on the edge of the six-yard box just as the Dutchman seemed certain to slip it into the net. Excellent defending. 3 mins: Hamburg are pinging the ball around well and Fulham are reeling a little. After a snappy move Trochowski collected the ball wide on the right, darted inside and sent a low rasper into the sidenetting from 20 yards. 4 mins: Duff gets his first touch, mid-way inside the German half, and is immediately tackled by a pair of defenders. The Irishman tried to wriggle between them and did well to scrounge a throw-in. 6 mins: Boateng - who is reportedly being courted by Manchester City and Arsenal, amongst others - snuffs out a Fulham break and then diverts the ball back to the keeper, who picks it up. Fulham want a freekick but the ref rules that the pass-back was not intentional. 8 mins: Zamora chugs out to the left to collect a long ball from the back, but under pressure from Mathijsen he cedes possession. According to the ESPN commentators, Zamora looked to be in serious pain during the warm-up so there are doubts as to whether he'll be able to last long in this game ... 9 mins: Trochowski has another pop from distance, but his left-footed effort from 25 yards trickles wide. 11 mins: Hamburg have most of the possession and are playing at a cracking tempo, but Davies just broke up their play in midfield and attempted to release Zamora with a quick pass. But the defender was on his guard and stifled the danger. "Mr Hodgson almost got us Finns into Euro 2008," swoons Lasse Olkinoura. "I know 'almost' doesn't sound like an achievement to a lot of people but do notice that were talking about Finland. Anyone who is capable of that should be able to perform miracles with a proper team." 13 mins: It's been all Hamburg but Fulham darn near opened the scoring just now! Konchesky initiated the break with a long diagonal ball, Zamora flicked on and Gera latched on to it and spanked it first time from 20 yards. It took a deflection off a defender and wobbled two yards wide. 15 mins: A lot of you are writing in to whinge about the lack of an auto-referesh button. I will vacate my seat for a couple of seconds, apply a remedial punch to the techie sitting at the other desk, and hopefully your problem will soon be solved. So bear me with me. Please. 16 mins: Pitrioipa daarts into the Fulham box and attempts to cut the ball back across goal for Van Nistelrooy, but Schwarzer intercepts. 17 mins: BAM! KER-POW! SOK! It took three remedial punches but that auto-refresh problem should be sorted now. 19 mins: Pitroipa's speed and direct dribbling is posing a constant menace to Fulham. He's just won another corner for Hamburg, whioch Fulham eventually scramble clear. 20 mins: Demel gives the ball away to Zamora on the half-way line and the England wannabe lumbers towards the Hamburg box, before being dispossessed by the more pacy defenders. Hamburg are certainly a step-up from Wolfsburg, of whom Fulham disposed of quite comfortably in the previous round (although they're only two points above them in the Bundesliga). 22 mins: Have Fulham weathered the storm? Certainly the Hamburg attacking has abated for now and Hodgson's heroes are starting to stroke the ball around a bit. "My girlfriend Suzie is happy," brags Lawrence Fernandez. "Originally she thought Fulham we're in the white, red and blue outfit but she has just squealed 'Oh we're in blue, so THEY look like they've got their kit from the poundshop, that's better.' So there you go." Anyone else want to update the world on their domestic chitchat? I quite like Hamburg's clobber, by the way, it's got a certain Czechoslavakian retro-chic to it. 25 mins: Boateng handles on the edge of the Hamburg area but the ref doesn't spot it, much to the annoyance of Zamora. "Who are these whingeing lazy dossers who can't click the refresh button?" fumes John Lee. "That's what happens, see, if you give people something, they come to expect it as their right. Wouldn't want to risk those wrists - after all they'll be putting them to endless use if their work ethic is anything to go by." 27 mins: Aogo, who's been getting chalk on his boots out on the left, curls in a threatening cross that Duff heads behind for a corner. Aogo whips it in, Zamora heads away, Pitroipa tries a shot from 25 yards but mis-hits in comical fashion. What's the German for hahahahaha? 30 mins: The storm has not yet returned. Fulham are looking slightly more comfortable. "It's a bit strange here in Finland," says a spooked David. "I'm watching Liverpool live on Canal + (they are 1 - 0 down already) whilst reading you ... I'll stay up to watch the whole game at midnight here if Fulham win or draw.......and watch it again tomorrow when it's repeated!! My girlfriend is unhappy as she's in bed alone ... due to early start at work tomorrow......but all credit to her for getting the beers in for me!" I was wondering where you were going with that - your story didn't really have an interesting end, but you do seem to have la good Finn. 32 mins: Gera receives a pass from Zamora and sizes up another long-range shot ... before the ref pulls him back for offside. 34 mins: Hughes hammers the ball out of his box and into Hamburg's half, where Fulham have seldom been. Boatengf then fouls Gera wide on the left, gifting Davies a chance to whip in a freekick. Rost comes to punch it well clear. "I must say I miss the old days before the auto-refresh," sighs Robin Hazlehurst. "I had a widget-thingy in Firefox called 'reload every' which let me smugly auto refresh while everyone else was battering F5, but now the playing field has been levelled. And if that sounds a bit geeky, I got the widget from the Guardian's Tour de France coverage, which goes to show that it is worth following minority (and French) sport." Well done. But you still sound geeky. 35 mins: Pitroipa - Hamburg's most cuttign attacker so far - tears into the box before going down under a challenge. He looks hopefully to the ref, who turns away indifferently. It was never a penalty. 37 mins: Guerrero balloons the ball high and wide from 30 yards. "To answer your question on 27 mins: the German for hahahahahahaha is penalty penalty penalty penalty penalty penalty," shoots Oliver Driesen. What's the English for touché? 40 mins: Fulham have tightened up, Hamburg have slowed down, a little, and all in all the half has got progressively better for the visitors. "I have to point we do have these halves of sitting back, so it's ok for all of you to look forward to half time where Woy can get the team to compose themselves more," informs Lawrence Fernandez. "And we do have Dempsey to come on for the second half. 42 mins: Pitroipa embarks on another tricky run, then has a bang from the edge of the box. He skewed it well wide. 44 mins: Van Nistelrooy receives the ball with his back to goal, turns in a wide arc and wafts a soft shot wide. "Fulham's Euro adventure seemed so much more romantic in the earlier rounds," reckons Jamie Woods. "First, last year's champs, then the Old Lady, then the town Volkswagens are made in. Now they're stuck in a seedy port town facing an attack led by a hirsute, over-the-hill Dutchman. It's all going to end here, isn't it?" Yes ... because the final will be here too ;) 45 mins: The ref allows four second of stoppage time, then blows the whistle. Off troop the players, Zamora with a worrying limp. Dempsey may be on real soon. "Just taking time out from the Leader's Debate to check up on the match," wibbles Scott W. "In reply to your query on 37 minutes, the English for touché is 'oh, I see what you did there'." Half-time: If this were BBC Radio Five Live, a colleague would have taken over from me about 20 minutes ago and I'd already be swigging from my hipflask and savouring my meerschuam pipe. But it's not BBC Radio Five Live, so I've had to wait till now ..... back in a mo. "An over-the-hill Dutchman?" chortles David. "Isn't that some kind of geographical impossibilty?" "I think you'll find ..." reckons Brendan Large. "... that the English for touché is in fact ... 'Av It!" 46 mins: No changes at the break, so Zamora is presumably good to go for another while. "Over-the-hill Dutchman would be a topographical impossibility David, not a geographical one," lectures Craig McEwan. 47 mins: Four times in the last two mintues Fulham have played the ball to Zamora and each time, though he battled valiantly, the striker had to pull up lame. Surely he can't continue? 48 mins: Baird gives the ball away in his own box, but is saved by his fellow Irishman Hughes, who nods the subsequent cross clear as Van Nistelrooy was poised to pounce. 49 mins: Gera is chopped down inside the Hamburg half but the ball runs to Zamora so the ref waves 'play on'. Zamora tries to do just that and has a pop from 30 yards, and then gets clattered by Boateng ... 51 mins: The inevitable change comes to pass: Zamora off, Dempsey on. 53 mins: Aogo centres. Hangeland heads - up but not clear - then atones for that by rushing at Guerrero and putting him off his shot. 55 mins: Baird, who's had a difficult evening, gets a booking for felling Pitoipa. He'll miss the return leg. But at least the freekick came to nought. 57 mins: Murphy hares back to put in a crunching tackle on Guererro, who was about to smash one goalwards from the edge of the box. Excellent intervention. 58 mins: Murphy makes another important intervention at the edge of the Fulham box and instigates a counter-attack. Hamburg regroup quickly to kill the momentum but Fulham retain possession. For a few seconds, then relinquish it feebly. 60 mins: Swish break by Dempsey, who races through the middle and then slips it out wide to Gera and darts into the box in anticipation of a return ball. Mathijsen does well to cut the pass out. 62 mins: Hangeland steps up and catches Van Nistelrooy a good four yards offside. 64 mins: Anothjer decent tackle by Murphy, this time on Aogo, breaks up a Hamburg move. 64 mins: "it is my firm prediction that Dempsey will score a penalty," announces Eric Scwhab, offering no justification whatsoever. Mind you, it might have come true a moment ago if the ref had awarded Fulham the spotkick that Gera was seeking after he tumbled near a tackle by Ze Roberto. But there was no contact so the ref was right. This guy's better than any of the recent Champions League officials we've seen this week. 66 mins: After a rocky opening Fulham have defended very welland Hamburg have been restricted to hopeful pots from well outside the box. Pitroipa tried a different approach just now, lofting a cross towards Van Nistelrooy in the centre, but Schwarzer came to claim easily. 68 mins: Murphy releases Gera with a lovely ball, but the Hungarian took it down with his hand, and cops a booking."Oh no, I'm starting to believe we can nick a goal," frets Lawrence Fernandez. 69 mins: Trochowski works a corner short to Aogo, who gives it back to him. He slashes the ball towareds the back post, where Etuhu allowed it to fly behind for a kick out. 70 mins: Aogo flies down the left and flaots the ball into the centre. Van Nistelrooy and Guerrero both jumped for it and got in each other's way. 71 mins: That's the closest Hamburh have come, and it was no surprise that it was Pitroipa who posed the threat. He twisted his way into the box and then fired towards the roof of the net, forcing Schwarzer to tip it over with on hand. Moments later Trochowski tested the keeper with a swirler from further out, and the Australian was equal to that too. 73 mins: Hamburg substitution: Guerrero off, Petric on. With seconds of that arrival Scwharzer has to make another good save, beating away a Jarolim blockbuster from 20 yards. 74 mins: Mathijsen sweeps a long diagonal ball behind Konchesky, for Pitroipa to chase. He does so, but can't reach it. 76 mins: Baird scuffs a clearance and almost tees up Pitroipa, but recovers smartly. 77 mins: Konchesky provides a fine overlap as Fulham make a rare break forward. The fullback swings in a vicious cross that Mathijsen does well to head clear. 79 mins: Hamburg are basically playing a 2-4-4 here as they energetically seek a lead to take to London. But Fulham are holding firm. They've struggled to build forward moves but Hodgson's men have defedned very well. So far. 81 mins: Another sign of Fulham's defensive discipline - after much circulation of the ball by Hamburg, all the hosts can come up with is a desperate shot from 35 yards, which Etuhu blocks. 82 mins: Hamburg change" former Arsenal player Demel hurries off, Rincon lurches on. 84 mins: Dempsey performs a Zamora-esque feat to hold off one defender then outjump another and knock the ball down to Gera, who loses it. 85 mins: Fulham play their way out of trouble at the back with some exquisite football, Etuhu and Murphy showing lovely touches before the latter sent a long ball wide to Davies, who was bulldozed by Rincon. Freekick to Fulham. 86 mins: A nice, snappy move by Fulham ends with Dempsey curling a tame shot miles wide. 88 mins: Davies charges down a Rincon cross, which rebounds off him and out for a corner. 89 mins: Etuhu rises well to head a corner to the far side of the pitch. Petric smashes it low and hard across goal and Schwarzer dives at Van Nistelrooy's feet to smother the threat. Fulham break quickly down the other end and the keeper surges off his line to boot clear as Davies tried to latch on to a Duff through-ball. 90 mins: Three minutes to go, reveals the fourth official. 90+1 mins: Fulham were mounting a rapid counterattack and Trochowski dragged back Duff as he threatend to break clear. The resultant booking rules him out of the next leg. Duff whips the freekick into the keeper's arms. Full-time: Fulham's European future will be decided at Craven Cottage. Hamburg showed the sharpness of their teeth in the first 20 minutes but Fulham defended with characteristic diligence and gradually blunted their hosts. In the last 10 minutes they themselves looked dangerous on the counter and might have snatched a precious away goal. A draw was a fair result and leaves the tie pleasingly taut. The Cottage could be a great place to be next week. Thanks for following it on theguardian.com. Bye.